Give me the Money
by Merlin-in-the-TARDIS
Summary: The basic Robin Hood story, trying to get money off the Sheriff. Featuring Robin Hood, Much, Allan, Will, Sheriff, Guy. My first Fanfic, I don't think it's too good but would like to have some feedback. Thank you for reading, hope you enjoy it :


The outlaw ran through the dense, green forest, clinging desperately to a brown, cloth bag. Behind him, men on horseback in dark clothes chased him, trying to catch up. But Robin was one step ahead of them. He had lived in the forest for nearly a year now, and knew every tree and every bush in the forest. He sprinted down a hill and skidded to a halt in a clearing, before pulling on a hidden leaver. In front of him, leaves started falling away, as a hidden camp was unearthed. By the time the guards had caught up with him, he had disappeared into the camp, and it had closed behind him.

"Did you get it?" Will Scarlett asked as Robin ran in. In answer, Robin held up the bag, untied it, and emptied a few gold coins onto the floor. The rest of the camp cheered. After catching his breath, Robin continued;

"There's a lot more we need to get if we want to feed the families through winter."

"But where are we meant to get it from? We've already emptied the Sheriff's strong vault." Much exclaimed. Robin just grinned.

"Oh no." Much groaned, "I know that look. That's a bad look!" Another outlaw jumped down from the canopy above the camp.

"You've got a plan?" Alan–a-Dale asked mischievously.

"Well. There are a few Black Knights on the way to the castle, laden with bags of gold to replace the gold we've stolen from the strong vault. All we need to do is get the gold before it gets to the vault. Simple!" Robin finished with another flash of his grin.

"So where are these Black Knights you promised us then?" Much snapped. He was still angry from Robin's plan, and now that it had gone wrong he was especially annoyed. The knights hadn't turned up, and they had been waiting for nearly two hours. "Maybe it's Alan. Have you started working for Gisbourne again?" Much cried, starting towards Alan. "Oy! I told you. I'm one of you now." Alan yelled back. "STOP IT!" Robin shouted, "This isn't going to help. The Sheriff must have told them to go around the forest. We'll just have to find a way of getting into the castle." "I know a way in." Will said quietly. Robin nodded his head at him, and they ran back through the forest towards the castle, Much grumbling at the back.

The Sheriff jogged down the castle steps smirking. The Black Knights had arrived, with all the money. He had evaded Robin Hood and his outlaws, and he had the best place to hide his new stash so that no one would find it. And now that Marian had gone, Gisbourne had stopped moping about, and had actually started to pull his weight. The Sheriff was happy. For now, at least.

Robin pulled himself out from the barrel. Will's idea had sounded good at the time, but putting into practice was harder. It included hiding inside the water barrels that were being delivered to the castle, but the other barrels had been too full to hide in, so Robin was on his own in the castle. He tried to think what to do next, but jumped when he heard footsteps coming from the passage. Quickly, he fixed the lid back on the barrel, and hid behind the barrels at the back of the room. One castle guard came down the passage, talking over his shoulder;

"One water barrel? OK." Robin had a sudden idea. As the guard bent over to pick up the barrel, he swiftly knocked him on the head with his sword handle. Robin caught the guard before he could fall, and dragged him round behind the barrels. Robin pulled off his helmet and guard tunic, and pulled them on. He then rolled a barrel of water up the passageway.

"We've got to help him." Much said, walking up and down the camp in anxiety. After Robin had hidden in his barrel, the other outlaws had trooped back to the camp to think. Will had recently gone back to the castle find out what had happened to Robin, leaving Alan and Much alone.

"How though?" Alan replied, negative as ever, "I don't have any ways of getting into the castle any more. They're all being guarded now. Do you have any ideas?" He scuffed his boot on the ground, trying to think. Much shook his head angrily.

"I don't know! But we have to do something." Much was distraught by now. He knew Robin, and going into the castle on his own was a very bad idea.

"Look. Why don't we just go to Nottingham and see whether we can help from there? It will be better than sitting around here won't it." Alan suggested. Much looked up, wide eyed.

"Well why didn't you say that earlier. Come on!" He ordered.

Back in the castle, Robin was enjoying himself. It wasn't every day that he could walk freely around the castle, instead of sneaking. He was on his to the great hall, where he supposed the sheriff would be, when he heard a familiar voice behind him;

"You. Guard. Wait!" Robin cursed under his breath, before turning round to face the owner of the voice, Guy of Gisbourne, the Sheriff's right hand man.

"What are you doing around here? No guards allowed near the great hall, the Sheriff has guests." Guy replied angrily. Robin did a ridiculously low bow, and walked back the way he had come. Guy stomped off in the opposite direction. As soon as Guy had rounded the corner, Robin tiptoed after him. It was back to sneaking again! He followed Guy towards the Sheriff's quarters, and as he went in, Robin hid in a niche just outside, so that he could hear the conversation between Guy and the Sheriff.

"You're sure Hood won't find the gold?" Guy was arguing.

"Of course he won't. Who would think of looking there? It's completely safe," the Sheriff replied calmly. Robin's interest was aroused. He pressed his ear closer to the wall.

"But what if he does? Then Prince John won't get his money. What will happen then?" Gisbourne said. Was it Robin, or could he hear a sense of urgency in Gisbourne's voice?

"Gisbourne. Why on earth would Robin Hood think of looking there? It's important to the villagers, so why would he destroy it? Why would he ever look in the..." The Sheriff was cut off by a shout behind Robin;

"OY! OUTLAW!" Robin groaned. He had been so close. He turned quickly and punched the guard in the face, knocking him to the floor. He ran down the corridor, his boots ringing loudly on the stone floor. He could hear someone running behind him, and from the clink of armour he guessed it was Gisbourne. After a few minutes of running, he realised that he was going towards the courtyard. This was not the best idea, as the Sheriff must have alerted the guards by now. He tried to double back on himself, but everywhere he looked there were guards running towards him.

Much and Alan ran towards the castle. They could hear a commotion, and they guessed that Robin had been found out. As they ran through the lower town, they saw Will hovering in a doorway. They ran up to him.

"What's happening?" Much cried urgently.

"I'm not sure; the bell hasn't started ringing yet, so he isn't in danger yet." Will replied calmly. As he talked, the alarm bell in the castle started ringing.

"You were saying?" Alan said scathingly, and they started towards the castle. As they came out into the courtyard, they saw Robin on the balcony. Even as they watched, the guards were moving towards him, spears pointing at him. Much and Alan looked on, worried, but Will had seen something the others hadn't; Robin was grinning, his irritating smile that he saved for when he had a plan up his sleeve.

Guy walked slowly towards Robin smiling himself.

"Got you at last Hood. You're surrounded. Give up your weapons." He said. Robin, still grinning, swung off his quiver and threw it down onto the stone floor in front of him, along with his bow. A guard scrambled forward and picked them up.

"Yes Gisbourne. You have me. Except you've made one small mistake," Robin said.

"Oh yeah? What's that then?" Guy sneered.

"The balcony," Robin said simply. Quick as a flash, he jumped up next to the stone pillar and jumped off backwards, doing a somersault.

Back on the ground, Much shook his head.

"Showing off as ever." He sighed.

Robin ran towards the outlaws. The others moved to run out of the castle.

"Wait." Robin whispered. The others turned round, surprised. "This way." Robin started running towards a side door in the courtyard, dodging guards as he went. Will, Much and Alan followed, looking slightly confused. As they walked through the door something grabbed them. Much was about to scream, when a hand got put over his mouth. He scrabbled round to see his captor, and was faced by Robin. Much glared at him, and pulled the hand away.

"Can you please tell me what is going on?" he demanded.

"Well," Robin whispered, smiling, "I think I know where the gold is." Alan's eyes widened.

"Really? Where?" He murmured. Robin made a gesture to make them follow him, and they crept off through the castle. For once in his life, Much was silent. He was still angry with Robin, and he was trying to work out where they were going. As it turned out, it was right where Robin had started off.

"The store room?" Much said exasperated, "But you started here. Why didn't you look then?"

"I didn't know it was here did I? Now hurry up and start searching. Alan, Will. Look out," Robin said quickly. Will and Alan drew their swords and stood on guard by the door. After a few minutes of looking, Robin straightened up, grinning.

"Got it!" He said, bringing out a chest from the barrel he was searching in. He opened it up to check, and was rewarded with the glint of gold coins.

"Great. Let's get out of here." Much said. They walked out of the store room calmly, but as soon as they were out into the corridor they ran straight into Guy. Before he could shout, Robin felt for an arrow, which were usually in a quiver on his back. He cursed. He'd thrown it down when he was surrounded.

"HOOD!" Guy yelled, "GUARDS. HERE."

"Time to disappear?" Will asked.

"Definitely." Much replied before Robin could.

"You lot go. Get back to the camp. I'll stay here." Robin said, not taking his eyes off Gisbourne, "Take this." He gave the chest to Will, before drawing his sword. It was smaller than the guards' swords, but Robin had enough skill to defeat them anyway. Much looked like he was going to protest, but Alan dragged him away before he could. Robin could look after himself. Guy drew his sword from his scabbard, sneering at Robin. They circled each other for a few seconds, before starting. The clang of swords was deafening. Both men had been trained well, but Robin had a slight advantage of skill, after fighting for three years in the King's private guard. However, Guy was heavier and he had learnt to use his weight against an opponent. He soon had Robin thrust against the stone wall of the corridor. He was still smarting from the way Robin had got away from him not ten minutes before, and was determined to hold him until more guards came. Robin, however, was determined to get _away_ before the guards arrived. One or two guards he could take, maybe even three if he was lucky, but Gisbourne and maybe ten guards were too many for even the great Robin Hood, especially without his bow and his gang. He tried to think up a plan in his head, but it was quite hard to think and fight at the same time. He hit Guy in the stomach with his sword hilt, and, while Guy was doubled up in pain, he ran off, not out of the castle, but down the corridor, to where his bow was. Guy struggled to follow him, shouting for guards again as he went. When Guy made it too the corridor looking over the courtyard, he couldn't see Robin anywhere. He was confused. Robin couldn't have made it out of the castle in that short time, so where was he. As he was looking round, he heard a sound from behind him. As he turned, he felt the 'whoosh' of an arrow near his left arm, and he was suddenly thrown backwards. Looking down, he saw an arrow securing his arm to the wall behind him. As he looked up, another arrow was shot into his other arm. He glared up at Robin, who was grinning again. He had shoved his sword back into its scabbard, and was now pointing his bow at Gisbourne's face, who sneered. "Not good enough. You missed. You'll never be able to kill me. Coward" Guy jeered. Robin's grin disappeared, and he quickly let the arrow loose. It skimmed past Guy's face, and he flinched. The arrow had left a deep cut on his left cheek. Robin nodded his head sarcastically to Guy, before running down the steps and straight through the courtyard.

"GUARDS!" Guy yelled at the top of his voice. As Robin sprinted through the portcullis, he wondered where all the guards were. Guy had shouted for them three times, and they hadn't come. He supposed his men were behind it.

When Robin got back to the camp he found Much preparing dinner, whilst Will and Alan were sharpening their swords. They all looked up when Robin came in, and grinned.

"Did you run into any guards?" Will asked, with a worried expression on his face.

"No! Not one! What did you do?" Robin asked, looking around at them. Much stepped forward and opened his mouth, but Alan started first;

"Well, Much says he meant to run into that suit of armour, and when it all came clanging down they all came to us! Will and I hid in a niche until they'd gone, but Much had to run out of the gates and he was nearly in Nettlestone before he lost them!" Alan was laughing by the end of his tale, and Will and Robin joined in. Much looked disgruntled.

"I did mean to." He said indignantly. Robin patted him on the back.

"Of course you did. At least we've got the gold!" He said, trying to stop Much getting too annoyed, "And what have you cooked for us tonight?"

"Look, if its rat again I'm not eating it. That was disgusting." Alan complained, stepping forward.

"I was not rat. It was squirrel. And it's deer tonight." Much answered, still looking quite angry. Alan and Much did not see eye to eye very often. Much gave out the lumps of meat anyway. Will eyed it suspiciously, but Robin brought it up to his mouth, trying to please Much. Just as he was about to bite into it, a gong went at the other end of the camp. The outlaws looked up.

"That's the coach trap!" Will said, jumping to his feet and picking up his long bow. Robin got up too, relieved at an excuse to leave the horrendous looking chunk meat.

"Come on! Let's see what we've caught!" he said hurriedly, running out of the camp.


End file.
